Robert Refsnyder placed himself firmly on the Yankees' radar with a season full of big plays, including a walk-off blast that sent a festive Fourth of July crowd home even happier and made the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre second baseman a runaway MiLBY winner.Full story »

With an .884 OPS across the top two levels of the Yankees system, Robert Refsnyder enjoyed a breakout season in 2014. Perhaps his most exciting highlight came on the Fourth of July when he provided the fireworks with a three-run walk-off shot for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

It was a notable homer, sure. After going 41 games without a long ball, Conrad Gregor, a 2013 fourth-rounder by the Astros, clubbed his first Midwest League home run for Class A Quad Cities. Most improbable: the ball fell into the hands of Gregor's father, Marty, beyond the right-field fence.

It's 399 feet to dead center at Class A Advanced Winston-Salem's BB&T Ballpark. Joey Gallo, the Rangers prospect who finished second in the Minors with 42 homers, hit the scoreboard above that fence. The announcer estimated the shot went 450 feet. You be the judge.

Now for a little history lesson. With this homer to left on May 20, Triple-A Toledo's Mike Hessman became the eighth member of the Minor League 400-home run club. He ended the year with 417 career roundtrippers, good for seventh all-time in the Minors.

Joc Pederson grabbed quite a few headlines for hitting 33 homers and stealing 30 bases this season at Triple-A Albuquerque. This shot, smacked way over the fence and onto the berm at Isotopes Park back in May, was definitely one of his most memorable.

Between May 21 and his first at-bat on May 22, there was no beating Jon Griffin. There wasn't even hope of containing him. The Double-A Mobile first baseman went deep in five straight at-bats during two contests at Tennessee, and each one was caught on camera, in case you needed to see the streak to believe it.

This isn't so much about the dinger as it is about the celebration that followed. Astros No. 3 prospect Domingo Santana lifted a three-run walk-off homer in late June and was greeted by three cold Gatorade baths at home plate from his Triple-A Oklahoma City teammates.

The CBS Sports Network picked a good game to broadcast nationally when Triple-A Las Vegas visited Sacramento on June 26. The teams were notched at 5-5 in the 11th when Andy Parrino entertained the Raley Field crowd -- and the TV audience -- with a two-run walk-off blast.

When Drillers outfielder Jared Simon reached into the Naturals' bullpen and stole a home run, he not only showed impressive concentration to make a remarkable catch, he also snagged a MiLBY.Full story »

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Simon reaches into 'pen for catch

Tulsa right fielder Jared Simon tracked Lane Adams' fly ball all the way to the right-field wall. With the fence in his way, Simon reached into the Northwest Arkansas bullpen and plucked the ball from the air, robbing Adams of a home run in the third inning.

Douglas, Perez team up to retire Sanchez

After Charlotte's Carlos Sanchez ripped a hard grounder up the middle, Toledo second baseman Brandon Douglas tracked it down with a diving stop. Lacking time to stand and throw, Douglas flipped to shortstop Hernan Perez, who fired to first to retire Sanchez.

Peterson takes to air to rob Baxter

Albuquerque's Mike Baxter was likely thinking extra bases when he drove a ball into the right-center gap, but Sacramento's Shane Peterson had other ideas. The center fielder, shading toward left on the play, ranged and Supermanned for a diving catch.

Linton lays out for outfield grab

Ollie Linton showed off his athleticism and bravery in chasing down Jason Krizan's scorched fly ball in deep center field. The Akron center fielder tracked the ball to just in front of the warning track and dove back to put ball in glove and retire Krizan.

Brentz, Swihart save PawSox's season

With an International League title on the line, Durham nearly walked off with an extra-inning win, but Pawtucket's Bryce Brentz delivered a perfect strike to catcher Blake Swihart to quash the rally. The Red Sox went on to win the game and the Governors' Cup.

Portland ends game on 7-6-2-5-4 double play

Trailing by a run with a man on, New Britain's Reynaldo Rodriguez ripped a line drive down the left field line that might've scored A.J. Pettersen, but Pettersen slipped coming around third. Portland nabbed Pettersen retreating to third, then got Rodriguez at second to end the game.

Wolters dives, shovels for force out

With Pirates prospect Willy Garcia charging down the line, Akron second baseman Tony Wolters sprawled to glove a swinging bunt trickling toward the right-side hole. Without time for a transfer, the Indians infielder pushed the ball to first baseman Bryan LaHair with his glove to retire Garcia.

Weeks makes diving stop, slick flip

Norfolk second baseman Jemile Weeks ranged up the middle to make a diving stop on Carlos Sanchez's ground ball. The Orioles Minor Leaguer then made a no-look, acrobatic flip over his shoulder to second base to force out Jordan Danks for the inning's first out.

Davis leaps to rob Mathews of homer

With one out in the ninth, Beloit's Ryan Mathews rocked a would-be homer out to center field, but Wisconsin center fielder Johnny Davis brought the long ball back. Davis leaped at the track and got his glove on the big fly for the second out in the ninth.

Sellers slides, kicks ball into glove

As Columbus left fielder Justin Sellers slid over the left-field foul line, he kicked the ball into the air just high enough to get a glove on it. The broadcasters didn't believe he'd made the grab, but the umpires did. That made the difference, and landed Sellers among these MiLBY candidates.

Carrithers goes over rails for catch

Sacramento third baseman Alden Carrithers didn't get much help from teammates near his own bench, but lucky for the River Cats, he didn't need it. Carrithers posted himself at the fence, reached over and landed -- ball in glove -- in handstand position on the other side.

Lopez tracks down pop up in shallow center

Wilmington's Jack Lopez didn't take the best path, but didn't need to in order to track down a pop up in a May contest on the road. Lopez initially ran too far toward center and had to double back toward right, tracking the ball and catching it behind his body.

Beating out an erupting sprinkler and a runaway opossum, Michael Earley's leaping grab on the warning track and less-than-graceful tumble into the bullpen grabbed the fan vote for Best Blooper.Full story »

Birmingham outfielder Michael Earley makes a leaping catch on the warning track before crashing through the visitors' outfield bullpen gate during a Southern League game in August. Earley still managed to hang on and take a hit away from the visiting Chattanooga Lookouts.

Fort Wayne TinCaps infielder Fernando Perez accidentally ran into a sprinkler head in foul territory during a Midwest League game at Parkview Field, causing a high-reaching geyser to erupt over players and fans in April.

Stray opossum storms the field

A stray but curious opossum took a scenic stroll around the infield at Quad Cities' Modern Woodmen Park during a July Midwest League game between the River Bandits and Clinton LumberKings. Order was restored thanks to a pair of brave grounds crew members and a trash can.

Pawtucket's Corey Brown makes a great catch in center field up against the wall, knocking down a couple sections of outfield padding in the process. After throwing the ball back in, he returned to put the pieces back together with a teammate.

Pelicans' Mikulik undresses during ejection

Myrtle Beach manager Joe Mikulik, known for his animated run-ins with umpires, launches into a wild tirade after a disputed play at the plate during a Carolina League game against the Salem Red Sox. The skipper slid into home and took off his shoes and shirt before departing.

Buffalo's Munenori Kawasaki, armed with an English dictionary in the dugout, talks to Bisons announcers about the "unbelievable" cold weather in Buffalo, dancing while coaching first base, walking to his nearby hotel, eating tuna, his love of sushi and what he ate last night, among other topics.

Benches clear between Barons, Suns

A pair of lengthy and violent benches-clearing brawls marred a Southern League game between Double-A Jacksonville and Birmingham in July, leading to six ejections, including an animated departure by Suns skipper Andy Barkett, who tossed his hat and some equipment at the umpires.

Plenty of punches were thrown during a shocking brawl between Triple-A Reno and Albuquerque when the Isotopes' Erisbel Arruebarrena struck out and threw his helmet and a punch at Reno catcher Blake Lalli, sparking a huge fight behind home plate that also earned Aces manager Phil Nevin an emotional ejection.

Promo of the Year

The Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas captured the fans' attention and the MiLBY for Promo of the Year with Bark at the Park jerseys that, as their GM noted, were both "terrible" and "perfect."Full story »

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Bark in the Park Night theme jerseys

Minor League Baseball doesn't just go to the dogs, it becomes them

The El Paso Chihuahuas' stated goal entering their inaugural season was to "live the brand." They did that and then some on Bark in the Park Night, as players took the field in jerseys featuring gigantic, hyper-realist, larger-than-life Chihuahua heads. More »

Slugger walks for Tourette's

A determined canine embarks upon a multi-state stroll

From May 4 through May 8, Portland Sea Dogs mascot Slugger undertook a 114-mile pedestrian journey from Boston's Fenway Park to Portland's Hadlock Field. The goal, ably accomplished, was to raise money and awareness for Tourette's Syndrome. More »

Batman and Robin Night with Burt Ward

The original Robin highlights a rollicking tribute to a campy caped classic

The Rochester Red Wings' tribute to the 1960s Batman TV series included an appearance from Burt "Robin" Ward, who joined forces with Batman to battle nemeses such as the Joker, Riddler and Penguin. The Batmobile was parked outside the stadium, in case a quick getaway was needed. More »

Cleveland Sports History Night

A famous cinematic good luck charm becomes an in-demand bobblehead

The Lake County Captains took their annual tongue-in-cheek homage to Cleveland sports to a stratospheric new level, thanks to a bobblehead giveaway featuring Jobu. This wild-eyed voodoo deity was worshipped by Pedro Cerrano in Major League -- now it can be worshipped by you. More »

Salute to Seinfeld Night

This promotion was real, and it was spectacular

The Brooklyn Cyclones' homage to Seinfeld was much ado about nothing. The team gave away Keith Hernandez Magic Loogie bobbleheads, welcomed the Soup Nazi and "the real-life Kramer" to the ballpark, and staged absurdist Seinfeld-inspired contests all evening long. Fishing for Rye, anyone? More »

Merge Night

An iconic Minor League team partners with an iconic minor label

Durham-based Merge Records teamed up with the Durham Bulls for an evening celebrating the indie label's revered musical roster. Merge artists threw out the first pitch, sang the National Anthem and had their music used as walk-up songs. More »

Ryan Westmoreland jersey retirement

Paying tribute to a player whose career ended too soon

Ryan Westmoreland was a star performer for the 2009 Lowell Spinners but retired three years later at the age of 22 due to a cavernous malformation in his brain. The Spinners retired Westmoreland's No. 25 in a moving pre-game ceremony, paying tribute to the player he could have been and the man he is. More »

Jayson Werth Beard-a-Palooza

Celebrating the unruly facial hair of a Beltway superstar

Jayson Werth's beard is so huge, the Potomac Nationals needed three days to celebrate it. Beard-a-Palooza Weekend included a bobblebeard giveaway (featuring real hair), a Beard Olympics and what had to be the world's first beard-tasting competition. More »

Fresh Prince Night with Alfonso Ribeiro

This is a story all about how the Spikes got flipped, turned upside down

On Fresh Prince Night, State College Spikes players took the field in a graffiti-strewn theme jersey referencing the style of the legendary 1990s fish-out-of-water sitcom. Joining the team in its nostalgic network comedy celebrations was Alfonso Ribeiro, who played snooty cousin Carlton on the show. More »

Rock 'n' Bobblehead giveaway series

Mini-versions of Midwest Rock 'n' Roll legends undulate to the beat

Over the course of the 2014 season, the Akron RubberDucks gave away bobblehead versions of four local music legends: DEVO, Joe Walsh (James Gang, Eagles), Chrissie Hynde (Pretenders) and the Black Keys. Clearly, Akron is a city that knows how to rock. More »

Breakout Prospect

A pair of fast-rising Blue Jays picked up Breakout Prospect honors as outfielder Dalton Pompey earned the most votes among the fans, while left-hander Daniel Norris added a second 2014 MiLBY to his trophy case as the staff's selection.Full story »

Ranked 19th among Toronto's prospects at the start of the year, Pompey climbed to third in the system and No. 90 in MLB.com's overall Top 100. He hit a career-high .317 across three levels and went from Class A Advanced Dunedin all the way to Toronto, where he made 17 late-season appearances.

Ziomek went from No. 19 in the Tigers system to No. 5 after a dominant first full season for Class A West Michigan. The Vanderbilt product held opponents to a .201 batting average while leading the Midwest League in ERA and ranking second with 152 strikeouts.

Severino went from being ranked 10th overall in the Yankees system to the No. 64 prospect in baseball as he climbed three levels in his first full season. The right-hander spent half of the year with Class A Charleston before impressing in Class A Advanced Tampa and finishing in Double-A Trenton.

Moya busted out with a career year for Double-A Erie, setting personal highs in virtually every offensive category en route to being named Eastern League MVP. He ranked fourth in the Minors in homers and extra-base hits (71) and fifth in RBIs, jumping to No. 7 in the Tigers system.

After 22 Class A starts in 2013, Norris started '14 with Class A Advanced Dunedin, moved through New Hampshire and Buffalo and made five appearances with Toronto as a September call-up. Unranked in March, he is now MLB.com's No. 25 prospect after ending the year fifth in the Minors in K's.

Taylor climbed to 65th overall among baseball prospects after dominating the Eastern League with Harrisburg. He appeared in a dozen Triple-A games with Syracuse and finished with a career-high 23 homers across two levels, a significant jump from the 10 he slugged with Potomac in 2013.

Velazquez went from being unranked in the D-backs system to No. 12. He set a Minor League record by reaching base in 74 straight games and posted career marks in walks, hits and runs scored. A multi-tool threat, he also recorded 42 extra-base hits and 50 stolen bases for Class A South Bend.

One year removed from posting a 4.57 ERA as a reliever primarily in the Midwest League, Bedrosian harnessed his command and shot through to the Majors from the Class A Advanced California League. He had a nearly five-to-one strikeout-to-walk ratio and yielded just 10 earned runs in 43 appearances.

After hitting just .236 with Double-A Mobile in 2013, Ahmed broke out with a .312 average for Triple-A Reno this season and rode that bat to the Majors. He struck out just 55 times in 407 Pacific Coast League at-bats and added 85 points to his 2013 on-base percentage.

Currently ranked No. 52 on MLB.com's Top 100 list, middle infielder Peraza put his wheels to use in 2014. The 20-year-old, signed out of Venezuela four years ago, swiped 60 bases across two levels while hitting a career-high .339 between Class A Advanced Lynchburg and Double-A Mississippi.

Best Team

Minor League Baseball fans and the MiLB.com staff agrees that the Midwest League's Kane County Cougars are the team of the 2014 season. Undefeated in the postseason after putting up the best record among full-season teams, we explore how they did it.Full story »

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Kane County Cougars

Cougars maul the competition on way to Midwest League crown

MLB Affiliation: Cubs

Led by the best pitching staff in the league, the Cougars paced the Minor Leagues with 91 wins, clinched both the first- and second-half Midwest League Western Division titles and swept their way to the championship, going 7-0 in three playoff rounds.

Jacksonville Suns

Red-hot Suns streak to Southern League crown

MLB Affiliation: Marlins

As scorching as their name down the stretch, the Suns won 16 of their final 17 games between the regular season and the playoffs. Led by playoff MVP Viosergy Rosa and his four homers and 14 RBIs, the Suns took home their sixth Southern League Championship in franchise history.

Asheville Tourists

Tourists no strangers to Sally League success

MLB Affiliation: Rockies

Best record in the league? Check. Prolific offense and solid pitching? Check. Roster loaded with top prospects? Check. You can also put a little mark in the championship box as the Tourists claimed the South Atlantic League title, their second in three years.

Hillsboro Hops

Hillsboro sweeps its way to Northwest crown

MLB Affiliation: D-backs

Facing a team in the Vancouver Canadians that is virtually a Minor League dynasty, the Hillsboro Hops swept their Northwest League Championship Series to become the first team besides Vancouver to win a title since 2010.

Fort Myers Miracle

Miracle outcome as Fort Myers wins FSL title

MLB Affiliation: Twins

Jason Kanzler's go-ahead home run in the 11th inning gave the Fort Myers Miracle their first Florida State League title in 22 years, capping a season in which the club put together the best record on the circuit.

State College Spikes

Inspired Spikes avenge 2013 title loss to ValleyCats

MLB Affiliation: Cardinals

Thanks in part to the inspiration of 10-year-old Josiah Viera, who suffers from Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria, State College reversed its 2013 fortunes by defeating Tri-City in three games to lay claim to the New York-Penn League Championship.

Stockton Ports

Powerful Ports pace California League

MLB Affiliation: Athletics

Thanks to the power of Matt Olson and Renato Nunez, the Stockton Ports led the California League with a .607 winning percentage before being eliminated in the first round by eventual runner-up Visalia.

Best Farm System

Which MLB club's farm system had the best season?

Best Farm System of the Year

2013

Miguel Cabrera

2012

Miguel Cabrera

The first-time award to honor the organization whose system made the most strides in 2014, fans overwhelmingly selected the New York Mets, while the MiLB.com staff tabbed the Chicago Cubs. Read more on the Cubs' rise to the apex of Minor League systems.Full story »

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New York Mets

Breakout season from Nimmo, Herrera and more brighten future

Perhaps no system saw its top prospects take bigger strides than the Mets. Dilson Herrera and Rafael Montero made it to the Majors, Kevin Plawecki shined in his first Triple-A look, Brandon Nimmo continued to post outrageous on-base numbers and Steven Matz emerged as yet another strong starting pitching prospect.

Chicago Cubs

Bryant emerges, Kane County dominates in system on rise

In the final iteration of MLB.com's list for this season, six Cubbies reached the Top 100, and that excludes late-season graduates Javier Baez and Arismendy Alcantara. Kris Bryant emerged as a MiLBY Best Offensive Player front-runner, and Kane County is a ballot favorite for the Best Team MiLBY.

Boston Red Sox

Mookie Mania was the headline in a system that won two titles

The biggest story from Minor League Baseball's first half was the emergence of Mookie Betts, who continued his ascent from no-name infielder to star prospect and Major Leaguer. Double-A Portland teammates Henry Owens, Blake Swihart, Brian Johnson, Deven Marrero and more had excellent seasons, too, while Triple-A Pawtucket won the International League.

Texas Rangers

The Rangers had the best winning percentage in the Minors

Texas affiliates went 470-362, good for a .565 winning percentage that was tops among all organizations. The team successes were bolstered by some big individual seasons, too, including another big year from third baseman Joey Gallo, who obliterated Carolina League pitching and finished with 42 home runs.

Washington Nationals

Taylor, Giolito lead standout performers in improving system

The Nats sent three squads into the postseason and featured a number of breakout performers, including Michael Taylor and Wilmer Difo. Steven Souza emerged as an MLB-ready outfield bat with big numbers at Triple-A, while right-hander Lucas Giolito was dominant despite a short leash in his first full season following Tommy John surgery.

St. Louis Cardinals

The Cards had two trophies and an outstanding Triple-A outfield

The Cardinals and Red Sox were the only organizations to pull in multiple MiLB titles, with State College and Johnson City picking up championships. In the upper levels, Triple-A Memphis' outfield may have been the best in the Minors behind Oscar Taveras, Randal Grichuk, Stephen Piscotty and Thomas Pham.

Arizona Diamondbacks

No organization put more teams into postseason play

Five D-backs affiliates qualified for the postseason, the most of any organization. A number of individuals also stood out, starting with 2013 Draft picks Braden Shipley and Aaron Blair on the mound. Beyond that duo, third basemen Jake Lamb and Brandon Drury had emergent seasons, as did shortstops Andrew Velazquez and Nick Ahmed.

Houston Astros

Lower-level players emerge after graduations thin top of system

The first wave of Houston's next generation began jumping to the Majors in 2014, including George Springer, Jon Singleton and Jake Marisnick. While things thinned in Double-A and Triple-A, the team's Class A and Class A Advanced affiliates shined behind Carlos Correa, Rio Ruiz, Vincent Velasquez, Josh Hader, Brett Phillips and more.

Detroit Tigers

West Michigan's rotation highlights a group of overachievers

The Tigers don't have many highly regarded prospects, but the notables within the system had strong seasons as the organization finished fifth with a .545 winning percentage. Class A West Michigan's rotation of 2013 Draft picks Jonathon Crawford, Austin Kubitza, Buck Farmer, Kevin Ziomek, Chad Green and Jonathan Maciel was outstanding.

Toronto Blue Jays

Norris, Pompey break out, among those to reach Majors

Toronto is suddenly loaded with Major League-ready talent on both sides of the ball after many of their top prospects put together outstanding seasons in the upper Minors. Daniel Norris was one of MiLB's best pitchers, Aaron Sanchez and Marcus Stroman reached Toronto and outfielder Dalton Pompey stormed to the Majors from off the radar.

Game of the Year

A 16-run comeback by the LumberKings earned MiLB.com staff recognition as 2014 Game of the Year, while fans raised their voices for a historic no-hitter by Spokane in the Northwest League.Full story »

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Four Indians pitchers complete 11-inning no-no

Scoreless after nine, Spokane quartet finishes job in extras

Spokane got through nine innings without allowing a hit. The problem was Everett hadn't allowed a run. The Indians' bullpen continued the work sparked by starter Derek Thompson, holding the line and keeping the AquaSox hitless until the 11th when their offense broke through for the win. More »

I-Cubs' Rusin notches first PCL no-no since '09

The Pacific Coast League had not seen a no-hitter in nearly five full years before Iowa's Chris Rusin rose to the challenge against New Orleans. Rusin fired 72 of his 118 pitches for strikes and watched as center fielder Matt Szczur made a diving catch to secure the final out. More »

L-Kings storm back from 16 down, stun Bees

Clinton pounds out 22 hits to complete improbable comeback win

Few comebacks can compare to what the Clinton LumberKings pulled off against the Burlington Bees on May 7. Trailing their Midwest League rivals by 16 runs after five innings, the LumberKings roared back to force extra innings, then surged ahead for good in the 12th to shock the Bees, 20-17. More »

Bichette ends marathon affair for Yankees

Outfielder rips walk-off single to finish off Cardinals in 18th inning

After his club sent the game to extra innings with a two-run eighth and staved off defeat with a run in the 12th, Tampa's Dante Bichette Jr. singled to right field to bring home the game-winning run in the bottom of the 18th and close out the five-hour, 23-minute affair. More »

PawSox stay afloat in Governors' Cup Finals

DeJesus' homer in 13th sends championship series to Game 5

Twice pushed to the brink of a Governors' Cup Finals loss, Pawtucket rallied to keep its season alive as outfielder Bryce Brentz delivered a game-saving throw in the bottom of the 10th and Ivan DeJesus hammered a 13th-inning homer to sink Durham and set up a decisive Game 5. More »

Rochester's May, Darnell spread out no-hit effort

After almost three weeks of waiting, Red Wings finish off no-no

Not many no-hitters take nearly three weeks to finish, but Rochester enjoyed their accomplishment despite the wait. Trevor May spun six no-hit frames on July 24, and Logan Darnell took the feat the rest of the way on Aug. 11 to finish off the historic suspended game. More »

Aces outlast River Cats to take division crown

In the last game of the PCL campaign, Ahmed's single wins it for Reno

With the PCL Pacific North Division title chase down to the wire on the season's final day, Reno and Sacramento conjured up a thriller. In the bottom of the 10th, No. 9 D-backs prospect Nick Ahmed drove home Mike Freeman with the game-winning run to send the Aces to the playoffs. More »

Fresno scores seven with two down in ninth

Facing a five-run deficit and down to their final out, the Grizzlies kept passing the baton. In a wild rally that featured six singles and three walks, Fresno came all the way back to seize a ninth-inning lead and hang on for the win, stunning Las Vegas on the season's third day. More »

Best Individual Performance

For best performance, fans went with Rays prospect Grant Kay, who hit for the cycle in his pro debut. Meanwhile, MiLB.com's staff chose a D-backs slugger who hit four homers in a game and added a fifth the next day.Full story »

A 27th-round pick, Grant Kay reported to Hudson Valley to begin his pro career. During his debut, he homered in his first at-bat before recording a double and a pair of singles. Then, in the eighth, he legged out a triple to complete the cycle in his first game as a professional. More »

D-backs prospect, who had four double-digit strikeout starts, sets career high

Blayne Weller demonstrated a potent ability to make batters swing and miss on several occasions in 2014 -- the righty fanned 12 in a nine-inning no-hitter for South Bend -- but his stuff was perhaps most filthy in a masterful 16-strikeout performance for Visalia. More »

Astros prospect's best performance of the year includes two homers, six RBIs

The Astros' top prospect, Carlos Correa established career highs for hits and RBIs by going 5-for-6 and driving in six runs for Lancaster, extending a modest hitting streak to eight games and providing a highlight in a season hampered by injuries. More »

Yankees prospect is third South Atlantic Leaguer to homer four times in game

Following a streak of 16 games without a home run, Charleston's Mike Ford dialed long distance in the fourth inning before cranking solo shots in the sixth, seventh and eighth, joining Pat Garman and Tony Mongeluzzo as the only South Atlantic League players to hit four jacks in one game. More »

Dodgers prospect issues walk in eighth but gets double play to face minimum

A one-out walk in the eighth inning is all that came between a perfect game and Chattanooga starter Andres Santiago, who soon after induced a double play before striking out the side in the ninth, ending his no-hitter with a career-high 12 strikeouts in a 1-0 win. More »

Columbus starter Tyler Cloyd spun eight perfect innings before plunking the first batter of the ninth, but he got the next hitter to bounce into a double play and retired a third to preserve a no-hitter in which he threw 89 pitches while facing the minimum. More »

Jays prospect finishes with four hits, three of them longballs, and six RBIs

Having already homered twice when he came up in the 12th inning, Brett Wallace was enjoying a fine day at the plate. It got even better when he delivered a walk-off grand slam to help Buffalo complete a come-from-behind victory late in the season. More »

D-backs prospect is second Southern Leaguer to homer four times in game

After two harmless at-bats, Mobile's Jon Griffin left the yard in the fifth inning for the first of four consecutive home runs in the game, becoming the second player in Southern League history -- and first since 1969 -- to accomplish the feat. More »

Top Offensive Player

The Padres' Mallex Smith stole bases in bunches and snagged the fans' vote for Top Offensive Player, while Cubs prospect Kris Bryant earned the staff nod after hitting more home runs than any other pro ballplayer -- in his first full season.Full story »

Proof that stealing 88 bases in a Minors season isn't easy, Smith finished 19 thefts ahead of any other prospect in baseball. The sparkplug was no one-trick pony, either -- he ripped 29 doubles while putting up a .310 average and reaching base better than 40 percent of the time.

Nobody else in the Minors came close to plating as many runs as Smith did as he collected 68 extra-base hits between Class A Advanced Bakersfield and Double-A Pensacola. Big swings didn't stop him from reaching base with frequency; his 83 walks were third-most in the California League.

Bryant tore his way through his first full professional season. Over 68 games for Double-A Tennessee and 70 games with Triple-A Iowa, he hit more home runs than any other Minor Leaguer while collecting 160 hits in fewer than 500 at-bats.

Seager banged out gap hits all season, pacing the Minors with 50 doubles and tying for first among full-season players with a .349 batting average. He homered 20 times and led the Dodgers organization with 97 RBIs.

Betts was an all-around sparkplug for Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket. The 20-year-old led all Red Sox Minor Leaguers with a .346 average and ranked third with 33 steals while also tallying 46 extra-base hits, despite playing 52 games in the Majors.

Pederson led the Pacific Coast League in several offensive categories, including home runs, runs scored (106) and on-base percentage -- he walked 100 times. The 22-year-old was also the circuit's first 30-30 member in 80 years, notching his 30th stolen base on Aug. 23.

Having won the Joe Bauman Home Run Award in 2013, Gallo fell one dinger shy of matching Bryant's overall total this year. Remarkably he finished second in the Texas League in homers despite not making his debut until June 9, and his bat helped Frisco secure a playoff spot on the season's last day.

Taylor spent the bulk of the year with Double-A Harrisburg before joining Triple-A Syracuse, where five of his 10 hits over 12 games went for extra bases. In addition to his 23 homers, he continued to tear up the basepaths, piling up 133 Minor League steals since 2010.

Having led the Nationals system with a .345 average, Souza also was in the organization's top five in home runs, RBIs and stolen bases. The all-around production earned him Nationals Minor League Player of the Year honors, and he was a key factor in Syracuse's first division title since 1989.

Among the five Minor Leaguers who stole 40 or more bases and also reached double digits in home runs, Difo was the only one to bat above .300. The South Atlantic League MVP led the circuit with 176 hits, and his 263 total bases were one off the league lead.

Top Starting Pitcher

Daniel Norris rocketed through the Blue Jays system and wound up as the fans' choice for Starting Pitcher of the Year, while top Pirates prospect Tyler Glasnow earned the staff's selection after his own dominant season.Full story »

Not ranked among the game's top 100 prospects by MLB.com before the season, Norris surged to No. 25 by its end. Thanks to his high strikeout numbers, the 21-year-old left-hander worked his way from Class A Advanced Dunedin to the Toronto bullpen by September.

Graveman was only drafted in 2013, but the Blue Jays' eighth-rounder out of Mississippi State already climbed the ladder from Class A Lansing all the way to Toronto in his first full season. The 23-year-old relied on a heavy sinker to keep his ERA below 2.30 at each of his four stops in the Minors.

There were questions about how the Nationals' 2012 first-rounder would handle his first full season following Tommy John surgery. They were answered quickly as Giolito posted both low (2.20 ERA) and high numbers (10.1 K/9) for Class A Hagerstown.

The Pirates' top prospect built on an impressive first full campaign in 2013 (2.18 ERA, 164 strikeouts at Class A West Virginia) by racking up the K's in bunches again in 2014, finishing eighth in the Minors for strikeouts. Among the top 10 in that category, Glasnow was the only one with a sub-2.00 ERA.

The only Minor League pitcher this season with more than 15 wins, the top Red Sox prospect finished fourth in the Minors with a career-high 170 strikeouts between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket. His season began with a no-hitter on April 3 and finished in the Governors' Cup Finals.

The 20-year-old surged to the top of the Yankees' prospect rankings in his first full season, during which he climbed from Class A Charleston to Double-A Trenton. His most impressive stat might be that he struck out 100 more batters (127) than he walked (27) in 24 outings.

Johnson was struck in the face by a comebacker in 2012 and was limited to 85 innings by shoulder tendinitis in 2013. Now fully healthy, the No. 9 Red Sox prospect showed what he's capable of, particularly at Double-A Portland where he went 10-2 with a 1.75 ERA and 0.93 WHIP in 20 starts (118 innings).

Nelson allowed no more than three earned runs in each of his 17 appearances with Triple-A Nashville and pitched fewer than six innings on only one occasion. Despite being called up to Milwaukee in early July, he was still named the PCL's Pitcher of the Year.

A 20th-round pick in the 2013 Draft, Sparkman put together an outstanding first full season with Class A Advanced Wilmington. He held Carolina League hitters to a .213 average en route to being named the circuit's Pitcher of the Year.

Top Relief Pitcher

The Mets' Akeel Morris proved filthy in 2014 and won fans over as top reliever in the Minors, while No. 15 Angels prospect Cam Bedrosian proved fully recovered from Tommy John surgery and earned the staff selection.Full story »

Sikula spent most of the year as Class A Advanced Dunedin's closer apart from a midseason stint in Double-A, where he yielded five runs over 12 appearances with New Hampshire. The 25-year-old ended the year tied with Bowie's Oliver Drake as the Minor League saves leader.

Having missed most of the 2013 campaign following Tommy John surgery, Oliveros came out strong in 2014, posting a 0.89 ERA and 12 saves for Double-A New Britain before being promoted to Triple-A Rochester in June. He led the Twins organization with 18 saves and earned a September call-up.

The Angels' No. 5 prospect started the year with Class A Advanced Inland Empire and ended it in the Majors. The 23-year-old led the organization with 18 saves and fanned a remarkable 82 batters in just 45 Minor League frames.

Bracho held Midwest League foes to four runs over the first four months of the campaign with Class A South Bend. Though a couple outings got away from him in August, the right-hander notched a Midwest League-leading 26 saves.